Mijas Pueblo

The life and times living in mijas pueblo its sights, characters, events and any thing else associated with village life.

Cars Banned from Mijas Pueblo
21 May 2012 @ 21:24

In Mijas village there is a strong debate about the latest decision of the Town Hall to restrict traffic in the town by prohibiting entry of non-resident vehicles.
Most merchants and neighbors are against the measure and have requested reinstatement.
It is always difficult to please everyone, and especially when changing customs. This is what happened in Mijas Pueblo about a month ago when government team decided to prohibit the passage of vehicles of non residents in the old town.
The philosophy of this initiative, as stated by the mayor of the town, Angel Nozal, on several occasions, is to gradually pedestrianize the center where every day hundreds of tourists pass.

However, this idiosyncrasy is not shared, at least for now, by most residents and businesses of Mijas village.
Some, like Manuel Morillo, have noticed a decline in sales of his craft business, located on Avenida Virgen de la Peña, he firmly believes that many tourists flocking to the town come in their own car and when they see they can not park, they simply turn around and leave.
"It's normal. When you get to a town and see it is prohibited to enter and the only option is paid parking you go back,"says the seller.
Isabel Burgos, who runs a gift and souvenirs shop on Avenida Compass , shares his view and stated ."Before, the cars passing through here saw exhibitors, and once parked they came back looking for me. Now I feel I have lost that form of marketing"

Jesus Sanchez, a hairdresser who has a business in Calle Carril says that he is not much affected "because my clients are walking" but he feels that "there is much less people in town."
Those most affected, as the traders themselves point out, are the owners of supermarkets and those with stalls in the municipal market.
Francisco Cortes has a meat stall and believes that The Mayor, Angel Nozal, has been wrong to implement this measure. "The measure itself is good. In fact, we have ourselves, raised the point with the Mayor. But I do not understand why we have not been informed or consulted and have been fined, in some cases as much as 300 euros".
Francisco says an employee who comes to work at the market every day from Alhaurin El Grande, was fined 300 euros for parking in the old town shortly after restriction was implemented.
Also many of his customers come from Valtocado or Osunillas and can not get to Mijas Pueblo without a car and have opted to go elsewhere.
"Many People living in Mijas are elderly whose children live elsewhere. If they have to take them to the doctor, for example, will they also also be fined? "He asks.

But some are in favor of restricting traffic;
Luis Dominguez, manager of several craft shops in Mijas Pueblo, believed it to be a breakthrough for the urban center. "Today cars still drive through the historic center, for years I've been claiming it is a hazard because of so many tourists in the narrow streets, "he says.
The signs themselves seem to be confusing as all traffic misses the first sign at Avenida de la Peña junction and proceed to Plaza de Paz where all chaos breaks out with cars trying to turn around in the small square. this has been the scene of three accidents in the last week, the worst ended in an elderly lady having her armed crushed against a wall whilst trying to direct her husband who was trying to turn around!
This initiative has not been very well thought out and the town hall might do well to listen to recommendations of Local organizations such as the Merchants' Association who have asked Nozal that the public parking be made free.

If tourists are so mean that they refuse to pay the very modest car park charges in the multi-storey car park, then they are not likely to spend much in the shops! I visit Mijas Costa for 3 months every winter and always visit Mijas Pueblo on several occasions whilst there. I wouldn't miss it for the world. Perhaps the village needs to publicize itself more in the many free newspapers, hotels, etc., and dislpay very clear directions to the car park on the approaches to the village. In practice it has been virtually impossible to park in the village centre for many years even in the winter months.

englisher said:27 May 2012 @ 12:11

Having an apartment near the coast we often visit. Fortunately being able we use the the multi storey car park yes it costs but worth it has always been free space. Now the area around the church as been landscaped ,great at night,we notice that this has been restricted so not sure how that is affecting the church users.Maybe a voucher off parking charge might assist to shoppers that the major can give to shop keepers to issue.At least Mijas has parking , we tried to visit Istan and there was nothing available so had to leave

Dot said:28 May 2012 @ 14:54

We too love Mijas and visit there 2 - 3 times a year. The problem with the multi storey car park is that you have to be very fit to then climb all the stairs to get to the centre of Mijas and then on to the bullring and church area. Very steep for anyone in their third term of life!

I love taking the bus from Fuengirola Bus Station, the fare is ridiculously cheap, the buses are fairly regular and they deposit you right in the centre of Mijas where you can stay if infirm and still see shops or you do not have so many steps/slopes to climb. In Fuengirola there is plenty of parking near to the bus station and the gradient is pretty well flat (well almost!) if you are parked in the port.

Out later this week and cannot wait to jump a bus to get there!

Linda Peinado said:29 May 2012 @ 11:01

As residents living just below the village, we haven´t found the new restrictions hard to comply with. residents can still pass through the village and the parking in the multistorey car park has always been reasonable. People just do not like paying for parking! We prefer to park there as the car is safe and monitored. You do not have to climb the stairs as there are lifts. I would need oxygen when I reached the top if I had to climb them! Something had to be done as the village streets were built for donkeys and not cars. Deliveries, I understand have to be made before 11.00 so it isn´t as if deliveries cannot get into the village they just have to reschedule their times. All in all I am sure that people will get used to the new scheme and with a few adjustments here and there it will become an advantage to us all.

Peter said:29 May 2012 @ 18:55

In Mijas the locals park anywhere drive like a bat out of hell, yellow lines are parking signs....... double park.....so do the police

I love the idea. I visited Mijas pueblo for years and I always hated the fact that you had to "brush" the cars in the narrow streets. I used to go there by bus which was always a very good service. Closing the centre to cars will also help to preserve the character of the village.

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Bob ManningA deslyicsic freelance oneline whiter
I first moved to the Granada coast in the 1980's, I settled in a small mountain village (200 souls) as the only Expat. There I spent 15 glorious years and experienced some truly incredible thinks that could'nt possibly belive, fact being stranger than fiction! those events are compiled in the soon to be completed book The Ripening Sun.
wheres the dam spellchecker.............